Texas Strong: Hope during Harvey

By Linsey Thut | August 30, 2017

Hurricane Harvey has created so much destruction, and the road to recovery is just beginning for so many. Yet, even in the midst of such a tragedy, the true Texas spirit lives on in the thousands of everyday heroes who are lending a helping hand to their neighbors. We’ve scoured the internet and found some of our favorite stories highlighting the kind and brave folks who are banding together to love our fellow Texans on the coast and in Houston.

Ordinary Folks become Superheroes

A Woman and 21 Shelter Dogs Were Rescued

This story’s filled with multiple Good Samaritans. According to the New York Post, Betty Walter was found in her attic sheltering 21 dogs she’d rescued from her neighborhood during the storm. The Postreports that she spent 14 hours there before two men with a boat came to her aid, rescuing all 21 dogs and refusing to leave anyone behind!

You don’t have to live in Texas to have that Texan spirit, as shown in this story from CBS 21 News about a 5-year-old boy in Pennsylvania selling sweet tea and lemonade for 50 cents to raise funds for victims of Hurricane Harvey.

When their house started flooding on Monday, Chick-fil-a regulars Karen and J.C. called the restaurant to place their usual order: two grilled chicken burritos, with extra egg… and they also requested a boat. The manager and her husband brought a boat to rescue them, but just as the couple was trying to decide what to bring in the boat with them, Jet-Skiers arrived to give them a ride so they could fit more of their possessions in the boat. Karen told Eyewitness News that being rescued was “was one part ‘oh well, here we go!,’ one part ‘happy to be alive’ and two parts, ‘I can’t believe I’m leaving my flooded house in a Jet Ski.'”

No cow is left behind in this video shot by Harriet Taylor. It’s a scene you’d only find in Texas, as a cowboy, escorted by the police and a couple cow dogs, herds cattle to higher ground in Dayton, TX. Find the full story here at the Houston Chronicle.

Human Chain of Neighbors Saves Pregnant Neighbor in Labor

They used a human chain to get her safely to the truck!! (Video shot by my roommate) Happy thoughts & prayers to the new parents! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/nlEaa9J8E4

As you can see in this viral video posted on Twitter by Callie Hatcher, dozens of neighbors responded to a mass email sent out in their apartment complex, bringing medical supplies and forming a human chain in the high flood waters to help this woman in labor get to the dump truck that would carry her to the hospital. ABC News has the full story.

Local Businesses Supporting Their Communities

These Houston Bakers Made Bread for Evacuees While Stuck in the Flood

Houstonians helping Houstonians is what we like to see, like in this story about the El Bollilo Bakery that continued baking bread for two continuous days after their employees got stuck in the Wayside location because of flood waters.

Cheers to Houston’s 8th Wonder Brewery! Besides great craft brews, this brewery apparently also has an enormous army truck, which prior to the hurricane, had only been used for decoration. However, during Harvey, the brewery used the truck to rescue Texans in heavily flooded areas, according to Eater Houston.

Houston Furniture Stores Open Doors to Refugees

According to Huffington Post, the owner of Gallery Furniture in Houston, Jim McIngvale, “put calls out on social media on Sunday for people displaced by the effects of Hurricane Harvey to take refuge at either of his two [furniture] stores.” But his kindness didn’t stop there, he even used his furniture delivery trucks to shuttle people to his stores, ultimately taking in 400 refugees!

Buc-ee’s Opens the Katy Location as a shelter for First Responders

God bless Buc-ee’s! The gas station opened it’s brand new Katy, TX location early as a shelter for First Responders, giving them a place to sleep, hot food and anything else they might need for free. Beaver nuggets for everyone!!

One of Texas’s favorite grocery stores stepped up to help flood victims by bringing 15 trucks equipped with mobile kitchens and serving over 8,000 hot meals to hurricane and flood victims in Victoria, reported KXAN. They continue providing relief and supplies to victims, and now they are raising funds for the American Red Cross, The Salvation Army and Feeding Texas. Donate at any HEB store check out or by clicking here.

Here’s How YOU Can Help!

It’s incredible to see these incredible outpourings of love and compassion happening in the Lone Star State in the midst of all the destruction, and we hope these stories of amazing Texas heroes will inspire you to do the same. Whether it’s by giving your money, time or donating goods, your fellow Texans need you.

There are so many ways to get involved. You can text the word “HARVEY” to 90999 to make a $10 donation to the American Red Cross or check out our online store where we’re giving 100% of the profits to Harvey relief. If you need ideas on how to help, both Texas Highwaysand Texas Monthlyhave great resources to show you where you’re needed at this time.

To all the folks hit by this disaster, hang in there — we’re praying for y’all and we’re here to help you start rebuilding.